Hinged barrettes

ABSTRACT

A barrette includes a main member and a tongue having one of its ends hinged to the main member and its opposite end latched. A stationary tab extension of a hinge part of the main member obstructs movement of the tongue into its latched position. The tab and the resilience of the parts develop spring bias that presses the latch end of the tongue against a latch part of the main member when the tongue is latched, and swings the tongue away from the main member when the tongue is unlatched.

United States Patent Jennis [451 Dec. 12, 1972 [54] HINGED BARRETTES[72] Inventor: Murray Jennis,Laurelton,N.Y.

[73] Assignee: H. Goodman & Sons, Inc., Kearny,

22 Filed: June 4, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 150,038

[52] US. Cl ..132/48 R, 24/259 HC [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d 8/24 [58] Fieldof Search.l32/48 R, 46, 37 A, 37 R, 38 A,

132/38 R; 128/337, 325; 24/259 HC [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,559,417 7/1951 Florio ..l32/48 R 2,002,487 5/1935 Beskow..l32/38 R Van Sickle et al. ..l32/48 Bufler ..l32/48 R PrimaryExaminer-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeillAttorney-Paul S. Martin [5 7 ABSTRACT A barrette includes a main memberand a tongue having one of its ends hinged to the main member and itsopposite end latched. A stationary tab extension of a hinge part of themain member obstructs movement of the tongue into its latched position.The tab and the resilience of the parts develop spring bias that pressesthe latch end of the tongue against a latch part of the main member whenthe tongue is latched, and swings the tongue away from the main memberwhen the tongue is unlatched.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 12 I97? 3. 705. 591

F/GJ

HINGED BARRETTES The present invention relates to barrettes.

Attractive barrettes of one piece have been used for many years havingan outer, outward bowed part and a similarly bowed tongue, with reversebends at the ends joining the tongue and the outer part. The one-piecestructure was of resilient metal, and was formed so that the tongue,when unlatched, assumed an open position angled away from the outerpart. This is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 2,553,370.

The presently preferred barrette improves on that barrette by retainingall of its advantages, but adds a hinge for the tongue to enablemuchwider and easier opening of the barrette, and without in any wayimpairing the operation or the appearance of the previous one-piecebarrette. The latched end of the tongue and the hinged end of the tonguein the preferred form of the new barrette cooperate with reverse-bentend parts of the main member of the barrette. A tab extends from thereverse-bent end part of this barrette at the hinge, and obstructs theswing of the tongue toward the main member. Due to resilience of theparts, the tonguecan be latched and then the resilience of the partsprovides spring latch pressure. When the tongue is unlatched, theresilience swings the tongue open, away from the main member of thebarrette. The tab is stationary; it does not tend to snag hair, and itis simple and noncritical to make.

An important aspect of the invention is embodied bothin the foregoingbarrette and in a barrette having a hinged tongue and having hinge andlatch parts upstanding from and attached to the elongated outer part ofthe barrette. In both barrettes, there is a pivotpin; the hinge part onthe elongated outer part includes a support portion and a pair oflaterally spaced hinge elements extending continuously from the supportportion about the pivot pin, curled away from the hair space and aboutthe pivot pin; the tongue-obstructing tab extends continuously from saidsupportportion between the hinge elements; and one end of the tongueextends between the hinge elements and between the tab and the pivot pinand is curled about the pivot pin. The hinge provides for automaticspring opening of the tongue when unlatched, and it provides for springlatch pressure when the tongue is latched and it is highly effective inavoiding snagging of hair.

The two barrettes mentioned above are the illustrative embodiments inthe detailed description that follows and in the accompanying drawings.In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a first presently preferred embodiment ofvarious aspects of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-section of the barrette in FIG. 1, viewedat the plane 22 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and bottom plan views of the barrette in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the barrette in FIGS. 1 4, showing only partof the tongue in its open position and, in dotted lines, initiallytouching an obstructing tab in the closing swing of the tongue;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary lateral cross-section of the barrette in FIGS.l--5, viewed from the plane 66 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a lateral view of another barrette illustrating certainfeatures of the invention.

In FIGS. 1-5, the barrette shown includes a onepiece sheet-metal mainmember 10 having an elongated outer part 12 that is bowed: outward asseen in FIGS. 1 and 5. Reverse-bent parts 14 and 16 extend continuouslyfrom the ends of part 12, and hingeand latch terminal parts 18 and 20extend continuously from parts 14 and 16, generally parallel to andunder outer part 12. Tongue 22 is bowed outward,'like outer part 12.

Elongated tongue 22 has a hinge connection 24 to terminal part 18 of themain member 10. The hinge connection includesa pivotpin 26. Integralelements 28 are spaced apart laterally, extending continuously from thesheet-metal terminal part 18 and curled aroundpivot pin 26 as seen inFIG. 1. A tab 30 extends continuously from terminal part 18, as bestseen-in FIG. 6. One end of tongue 22 can be latched under latch part 20,while at the opposite end, part 32 of tongue 22 extends betweenlaterally spaced hinge elements 28 and betweenpivot pin 26 and tab 30,this end part 32 of the tongue being curled about pivot pin 26.

Elements 28 curl aboutpivot pin 26, extending from the terminal part 18,the curl starting at the hair-containing space between parts 12 and 18and ending outside that space as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Tab 30extends continuously'from part 18 across the hinge connection. Thisconfiguration of element 18 and tab 30 provides virtual immunity 'of thehinge to catching of hair. It is of course possible for some few strandsof hair to find their way. into the space between tab 30 and tongue 22,but any such strands of hair that mightbe gripped between the tongue andthe tab when the barrette is closed are released when the tongue isopen. See the solid-line position of tongue 22 in FIG. 5.

Tab 30 appears in FIG. 5 in its unstressed state. Here it forms anobstruction against the closing swing of the tongue from the dotted-lineposition in FIG. 5 to the latched position of FIGS. l-4. The parts areall resilient, so that such swing of the tongue toward its latchedcondition develops spring bias that tends to press the latched end oftongue 22 against latch part 20 when the barrette is latched and toswing the tongue open when the latch end of the tongue is free. Thedirection of the curl of end part 32 of the tongue about pivot pin 26 asshown (rather than the reverse curl) insures a continuous length 32a ofthe tongue being in place to react against pivot pin 24 when the tongueis closed despite the obstructing effect of tab 30. This direction ofcurl of the end of tongue 22 also insures the very end 32b of part 32being disposed remote from the hair-receiving spaces, thus avoiding anyresidual possibility of hair becoming caught by the hinge end of thetongue. I

The barrette of FIGS. 1-6 has all the attributes of the one-piecebarrette of U.S. Pat. No. 2,553,370, in that it has spring bias tendingto open the barrette when unlatched and the latch end of the tongue isspringpressed against the cooperating latch part when the barrette isclosed. In common with the one-piece barrette, the appearance of thebarrette of FIGS. l-6 when in use is attractive, both the latched partsand the hinge being concealed when the barrette is in use. Theattractive curved reverse-bent ends 14 and 16 of the onepiece barretteare preserved. Introduction of the hinge connection enables much wideropening of the barrette than is possible with the one-piece barrette,but the hinge does not negate the opening bias of the tongue nor does itintroduce hair-snagging difficulties. The automatic opening bias of thetongue found in the onepiece barrette is retained due to tab 30.

Many of the advantages of the barrette of FIGS. 1-6 are found in anotherembodiment of various aspects of the invention, shown in FIG. 7. In thisbarrette, the

main member 1 includes an elongated outer part 1 12 and upstanding hingeand latch terminal parts 118 and 120 of sheet metal riveted or otherwisesecured to outer part 1 12. The tab 130 and laterally spaced hingeelements 128 extend continuously from part 118, and elements 128 arecurled away from the hair-containing space of the barrette in the samemanner and with the same effects (other than appearance) as describedabove'in connection with FIGS. 1-6. The curled end (not shown) of thetongue 122 in the barrette of FIG. 7 extends around pivot pin 124 in thespace between hinge elements 128 and between tab 130 and pin 124 just asin the case of the other barrette, and tab 130 also causes the tongue tohave opening spring bias as in the case of the other barrette.Accordingly, further description of the details and the action of thebarrette shown in FIG. 7 is omitted as unnecessary to a fullunderstanding and appreciation thereof.

The foregoing detailed specification represents a presently preferredembodiment of the invention and a modification, but further applicationsand variations of the distinctive features of the invention will occurto those skilled in the art. Therefore the invention should be construedbroadly in accordance with its full spirit and scope.

I claim:

1. A barrette having an elongated main outer member and an elongatedtongue under said main member, said main member having an elongatedouter part, a pair of reverse-bent parts extending continuously from theends of said elongated outer part, and latch and hinge terminal partsbehind and generally parallel to the elongated outer part, said terminalparts extending continuously from said reverse-bent parts, respectively,and a hinge comprising part of said hinge terminal part and one end ofsaid tongue, the opposite end of said elongated tongue being a latchpart adapted to underlie the extremity of said latch terminal part, thehinge and the latch parts being concealed when the barrette is in use,said hinge terminal part having a tab extending along the tongue anddisposed to obstruct pivotal movement of the tongue toward said outerpart of the main member, at least one of said tongue, tab and mainmember being resilient and said tongue being forcibly operable despitesaid obstructing tab into latched cooperation with said latch terminalpart and thereby developing spring bias for swinging said tongue whenunlatched away from said outer part of said main member and for pressingthe tongue against the latch terminal part when the tongue is latched.

2. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hinge terminalpart has three side-by-side portions, the center one of whichconstitutes said tab and the outer two of which comprise part of saidhinge.

3. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said outerelongated part and said tongue are bowed outwardly.

4. A barrette including an elongated mam member and an elongated tongue,said main member having an elongated outer part and having a hinge partand a latch part projecting from longitudinally separated portions ofsaid elongated outer part, one end of said tongue being adapted to belatched by said latch part and the opposite end of the tongue having apivotal connection to said hinge part, said hinge part having a fixedintegral tab disposed to obstruct closing pivotal movement of saidtongue toward said main member, at least one of said tongue, tab andhinge part being resilient so that said tab causes spring bias to bedeveloped that presses said one end of the tongue against said latch inthe latched condition of the barrette and causing the tongue to swingaway from the main member in the unlatched condition of the barrette.

5. A barrette in accordance with claim 4, wherein said hinge partincludes a pair of laterally spaced hinge elements in said pivotalconnection and said tongue has an end hinge portion between saidlaterally spaced hinge elements, said tab being disposed between saidlaterally spaced elements and in the path of the tongue toward the mainmember.

6. A barrette in accordance with claim 4, wherein said pivotalconnection includes a pivot pin, wherein said hinge part includes asupport portion and a pair of laterally spaced hinge elements extendingcontinuously from said support portion and curled about the pivot pin inthe direction that disposes the very ends of said hinge elements remotefrom the hair space between the main member and the tongue, said tabextending continuously from said support portion between said laterallyspaced hinge elements, and said opposite end of the tongue extendingbetween said laterally spaced hinge elements and between said tab andsaid pivot pin and being curled about the latter, the tab and the hingeelements curled as aforesaid providing a safeguard against snagging ofhair in the hinge.

7. A barrette in accordance with claim 6, wherein the curled end of thetongue is curled about said pin in the direction opposite to the curl ofsaid hinge elements so that the part of the tongue that bears againstthe pivot pin when the tab obstructs closing of the tongue is spacedsubstantially from the very end of the curled end of said tongue.

lnAnlA run-x

1. A barrette having an elongated main outer member and an elongatedtongue under said main member, said main member having an elongatedouter part, a pair of reverse-bent parts extending continuously from theends of said elongated outer part, and latch and hinge terminal partsbehind and generally parallel to the elongated outer part, said terminalparts extending continuously from said reverse-bent parts, respectively,and a hinge comprising part of said hinge terminal part and one end ofsaid tongue, the opposite end of said elongated tongue being a latchpart adapted to underlie the extremity of said latch terminal part, thehinge and the latch parts being concealed when the barrette is in use,said hinge terminal part having a tab extending along the tongue anddisposed to obstruct pivotal movement of the tongue toward said outerpart of the main member, at least one of said tongue, tab and mainmember being resilient and said tongue being forcibly operable despitesaid obstructing tab into latched cooperation with said latch terminalpart and thereby developing spring bias for swinging said tongue whenunlatched away from said outer part of said main member and for pressingthe tongue against the latch terminal part when the tongue is latched.2. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hinge terminalpart has three side-by-side portions, the center one of whichconstitutes said tab and the outer two of which comprise part of saidhinge.
 3. A barrette in accordance with claim 1, wherein both said outerelongated part and said tongue are bowed outwardly.
 4. A barretteincluding an elongated main member and an elongated tongue, said mainmember having an elongated outer part and having a hinge part and alatch part projecting from longitudinally separated portions of saidelongated outer part, one end of said tongue being adapted to be latchedby said latch part and the opposite end of the tongue having a pivotalconnection to said hinge part, said hinge part having a fixed integraltab disposed to obstruct closing pivotal movement of said tongue towardsaid main member, at least one of said tongue, tab and hinge part beingresilient so that said tab causes spring bias to be developed thatpresses said one end of the tongue against said latch in the latchedcondition of the barrette and causing the tongue to swing away from themain member in the unlatched condition of the barrette.
 5. A barrette inaccordance with claim 4, wherein said hinge part includes a pair oflaterally spaced hinge elements in said pivotal connection and saidtongue has an end hinge portion between said laterally spaced hingeelements, said tab being disposed between said laterally spaced elementsand in the path of the tongue toward the main member.
 6. A barrette inaccordance with claim 4, wherein said pivotal connection includes apivot pin, wherein said hinge part includes a support portion and a pairof laterally spaced hinge elements extending continuously from saidsupport portion and curled about the pivot pin in the direction thatdisposes the very ends of said hinge elements remote from the hair spacebetween the main member and the tongue, said tab extending continuouslyfrom said support portion between said laterally spaced hinge elements,and said opposite end of the tongue extending between said laterallyspaced hinge elements and between said tab and said pivot pin and beingcurled about the latter, the tab and the hinge elements curled asaforesaid providing a safeguard against snagging of hair in the hinge.7. A barrette in accordance with claim 6, wherein the curled end of thetongue is curled about said pin in the direction opposite to the curl ofsaid hinge elements so that the part of the tongue that bears againstthe pivot pin when the tab obstructs closing of the tongue is spacedsubstantially from the very end of the curled end of said tongue.